Stars’ Bunting, Faksa return to lineup on Monday against Leafs
A couple of important forwards are set to get back into the swing of things heading into the postseason.
It was revealed that Dallas Stars forwards Radek Faksa and Michael Bunting are set to return to the lineup on Monday night, as the team visits the Toronto Maple Leafs.
#TexasHockey Morning Skate Update (via @MikeHeika): • Radek Faksa & Michael Bunting will both return from injury. Adam Erne scratched (Cameron Hughes sent down) to make room. • Kyle Capobianco will play, Lian Bichsel scratched. • Casey DeSmith starts in goal. #DALvsTOR
It will be Faksa’s first NHL game in over two months. While representing Czechia at the 2026 Winter Olympics in February, he sustained an upper-body injury during the team’s group-stage matchup against Switzerland. It was enough to knock him out for the remainder of the tournament, as the Czechs lost to Canada in overtime in the quarterfinals.
Faksa had appeared in 56 of the team’s first 57 games of the season. He potted two goals and 15 assists for 17 points, though he hasn’t registered a point in eight NHL games, having not scored a goal since Jan. 7 against the Washington Capitals.
The 32-year-old has been absent from Dallas’ past 23 contests. During that span, the team has posted a 14-6-3 record and clinched a spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bunting has been on the shelf since suffering a lower-body injury against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 30. The grinder has missed the Stars’ last six games, in which the team went 4-2-0.
The Scarborough, Ont. native was acquired by the Stars from the Nashville Predators before the trade deadline. In the 11 games he’s played with his new team, he has notched a goal and an assist. In 72 games overall this year, Bunting has posted 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points.
The Stars (48-20-12) are locked into the second seed in the Central Division and are geared up for the first-round matchup with the Minnesota Wild.